Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1417136
L i s te n to T h e A B M P Po d c a s t a t a b m p.co m /p o d c a s t s o r w h e reve r yo u a cce s s yo u r favo r i te p o d c a s t s 61 Massage Lubricant To make a massage lubricant, combine 1 ounce of plain massage cream, lotion, or expeller-pressed vegetable oil with 12–24 drops of a synergy. Avoid creams and lotions with dyes, fragrance, mineral oil, or lanolin. If you opt to use vegetable oils as your carrier, choose organic expeller- pressed oils. For example, sunflower oil and avocado oil have a nice consistency. Aroma Mist To make an aroma mist, combine 12–24 drops of an essential oil synergy with 1 ounce of distilled water in a bottle with a fine-mist top. Then, add 1 tablespoon of grain alcohol (e.g., vodka) to give the formula a little added sparkle. You might also add 3–6 drops of a particular synergy to an electric diffuser running in your session room. If you want to make larger quantities, just double the drops and the carrier product. Spritz aroma mists in a high arch over the client when they are in the supine position. Don't treat the client like a windshield and spray them directly with the mist. Mists used at the end of the session fill the room with aromas clients can enjoy as they dress for departure. FINAL THOUGHTS Use your aromatherapy synergies in massage exchanges with friends until you feel confident suggesting them to clients. Then, you'll want to add an additional charge of between $10 and $15 to cover your aromatherapy expenses. When it comes to the essential oils you use in your practice, follow the "buyer beware" advice. While many suppliers offer purity reports on their essential oils, it takes a lot of expertise to read these analyses properly. In addition, some suppliers do the oil testing themselves, so it may be difficult to trust their results. Some aromatherapists have their oils independently tested, but this is costly (up to $200 per sample). The best option is to buy from well-respected aromatherapy-specific suppliers frequented by long-time aromatherapists. (My favorites are Florihana, Fragrant Earth, Original Swiss Aromatics, and Samara Botane.) Adding aromatherapy to your practice creates new opportunities for you and your clients. Finding ways to incorporate it into your sessions for the well-being of your clients' psychological health opens a whole new level of care to your hands-on work. NOTES 1. Lorena R. Lizarraga-Valderrama, "Effects of Essential Oils on Central Nervous System: Focus on Mental Health," Phytotherapy Research 35, no. 2 (February 2020): 657–79, https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6854. 2. H. M. A. Cavanagh and J. M. Wilkinson, "Biological Activities of Lavender Essential Oil," Phytotherapy Research 16, no. 4 (June 2002): 301–8, https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.1103. 3. F. L. Angelucci et al., "Physiological Effects of Olfactory Stimuli Inhalation in Humans: An Overview," International Journal of Cosmetic Science 36, no. 2 (April 2014): 117–23, https://doi.org/10.1111/ics.12096. 4. Babar Ali et al., "Essential Oils Used in Aromatherapy: A Systematic Review," Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 5, no. 8 (August 2015): 601–11, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apjtb.2015.05.007. 5. Amir Vokshoor, "Olfactory System Anatomy," Medscape, updated September 25, 2013, https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/835585-overview 6. Trygg Engen, The Perception of Odors (New York: Academic Press, 2012). 7. Walter F. Boron and Emile L. Boulpaep, Medical Physiology, 2nd ed. (Philadelphia: Saunders, 2012). 8. R. Gabriel Joseph, Limbic System: Hypothalamus, Amygdala, Hippocampus Septal Nuclei, Cingulate (Cambridge: Cosmology Science Publishers, 2017). 9. S. Torii et al., "Contingent Negative Variation (CNV) and the Psychological Effects of Odour," in Perfumery, eds. S. Van Toller and G. H. Dodd (Netherlands: Springer, Dordrecht, 1988), 107–120, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1215-1_6. 10. Lucian Hritcu, Oana Cioanca, and Monica Hancianu, "Effects of Lavender Oil Inhalation on Improving Scopolamine-Induced Spatial Memory Impairment in Laboratory Rats," Phytomedicine 19, no. 6 (April 2012): 529–34, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2012.02.002. 11. Mark Moss and Lorraine Oliver, "Plasma 1,8-Cineole Correlates with Cognitive Performance Following Exposure to Rosemary Essential Oil Aroma," Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology 2, no. 3 (June 2012): 103–13, https://doi.org/10.1177/2045125312436573. EUPHORICS: These agents promote positive feelings of expansion, connection, and consciousness. Nutmeg (above) essential oil contains a psychoactive chemical called myristicin. When nutmeg essential oil is inhaled or applied topically, it creates a pronounced feeling of well- being.